Prove It
by Gerren
Summary: It was Ino's first day as Ibiki's apprentice, but the normally confident Yamanaka isn't liking her coworkers that well... Oneshot featuring the first generation of InoShikaCho. Rated T for one minor curse word.


**Disclaimer: I do not own anything affiliated with Naruto!**

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Ino Yamanaka dragged her feet into her home, her demeanor weary and her facial expression annoyed. She tossed the black trench coat to the side, not caring that it ruined the array of pillows on the living room couch. The top buttons of her charcoal Torture and Interrogation uniform were undone along with her black forehead protector. Her sky blue eyes were surrounded by black rings due to rubbing her mascara-coated eyes. She trudged her way into the kitchen where the first generation of InoShikaCho sat, laughing and giddy and generally having a good time with their sake glasses in front of them.

Inoichi craned his neck to face his daughter, his lengthy sandy blonde ponytail swishing with his movements. "Ah, Ino! Glad to see you back! How was your first day at the job?"

"Ugh!" She exclaimed loudly. Ino squeezed her eyes and tightened her fists, displaying her current state of mind.

Shikaku frowned, "I take it it wasn't very good…"

"Here, Ino," Choza gave a reassuring smile with his plump cheeks. "Take a seat."

The blonde kunoichi nodded and opened her tear filled eyes. Using her strong will, she did not allow those tears to spill over in fear of coming off as weak. _'Besides, I've had enough of that today.'_

"Tell me what's wrong, Princess…" Inoichi laid his large hands atop of his daughter's, the gesture giving the younger Yamanaka a sense of comfort and warmth.

"It's just the others, Daddy!" Ino started. Her usually bright and chipper tone was now upset and her voice cracked slightly.

This caused the blonde man to grow furious in seconds as he spewed threats left and right. "Was it Ibiki? If it was Ibiki I swear I'll Mind Body Destruct him so fast he'll – "

"No, Daddy, Ibiki-sensei was great; he was really helpful for such a crazy guy. It was just the other employees there."

"Well what'd they do?" Shikaku spoke up.

"They think I only got the position because of Daddy! You should've heard the things they were saying under their breaths! Scratch that, they didn't even have the audacity to whisper! They said it loudly and blatantly and kept saying that I slept with Ibiki-sensei just to become his apprentice! One even went as far to appeal against me, arguing that I didn't possess nearly enough skill to get into the T&I Force! Mind you they'd never even seen me in action!" She took a deep breath from her fast paced explanation to catch her breath. "They just judged me right off the bat. None of them gave me a chance, save Ibiki-sensei."

"Unacceptable!" Choza banged a fist against the table. Thank God it wasn't chakra filled, for the table would've been in pieces. There was no way his pseudo-daughter would receive such hate! "There's nothing you can do about this, Inoichi?"

The older Yamanaka sat in silent meditation before he opened his eyes. "No."

"No?" The Nara questioned with a raise of his eyebrows. "Are you not second in command?"

His tone was harsh with underlying acridity. Blue-green eyes were hardened like his stature. "My rank has nothing to do with the troubles Ino is facing. If I do something, the hate will only increase. You're a big girl now, Ino. Figure it out."

Ino whipped her head towards him. "How!" She snapped, furious at her father's seemingly dispassionate state. The tears she fought so hard to control freely dripped onto the table in front of her as her fists clenched even harder than before.

"Prove yourself."

"Do any of you not understand how much this happens to me?! Every time I grow as a shinobi, no one ever believes that I've earned it on my own! It's either because of my close ties or my pretty face! Never has an outsider acknowledged my own efforts towards my growth! I've proved myself multiple times, Daddy - in _and_ out of Konoha. I could save this whole damn village and it still wouldn't be enough!"

"Ino," Her father started smoothly to assuage her troubles. His behavior was now a drastic change from his coldhearted-ness a mere moment ago. "What are you?"

"A Yamanaka." She sniffled out quietly.

"And who are we to the village?"

"The most underestimated clan in Konoha…"

"And who are we in reality?"

"…The most resilient clan in Konoha." Her sniffling stopped.

Inoichi took note and smiled. "What do we do?"

"We prove it, Daddy."

"How do we do it, Princess?"

"We retaliate harder, better, faster, and stronger than before," Ino grinned as her rock joined in with her, "For we are Yamanakas, and a Yamanaka will always _**prove it.**_"

Shikaku grinned with his sake glass to his lips.

"It's so beautiful!" Choza cried out as he enveloped the two of them in a bear hug. Ino laughed happily as she was squished against her equally joyful father.

Ino's pearly white grin was bright and grateful. She kissed her father on the cheek with a "Thanks, Daddy, you're the best."

She looked at the older versions of her beloved teammates with love in her eyes, "Thank you two as well. I love you guys!" Ino stood and stretched, then wiped any remaining tears off her face. "It's definitely time for me to shower and get out of this boxy uniform. Ugh, how can you wear this, Daddy?! I _barely_ pull this outfit off – and that's really saying something! I look good in everything!"

Ino tossed her ponytail over her shoulder and left, but not missing her father's remark: "That's my girl!"

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**A/N:** Do you guys understand my love for InoShikaCho and Team 10?! No matter what generation, I am in love with their relationships with one another! Rest in peace, Inoichi and Shikaku!


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